Signal attachment for telephones



c. J. DECKER SIGNAL ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES Jul 1 1929.

Filed March 2. 1927 Int en tor (II/es lenlfieekcn j l I,

Patented July 16, 1929.

1,720,668 PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER J. DECKER, 0F TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

SIGNAL ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES.

Application filed March 2, 1927. Serial No. 172,134.

The principal objects of the invention are, to provide an efficient hospital service which will eliminate the distress, inconvenience and annoyance due to faulty and inadequate signalling systems.

A further object is to provide a very simple and effective means for signalling to a central station from whence direct-ions ca be given.

The principal feature of the invention consists in. the novel use of a telephone service, whereby si nals may be directed to a switch board by the pulling of a cord by the patient,

and whereby the signal cord may be used to manipulate the telephone and to bring it into reach of the patient.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a telephone equipped with my improved apparatus to be used in a signal system.

. Figure 2 is a plan view on a reduced scale showing the hinged arrangement of the telephone.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the tele phone showing my si nal attachment in the normal position.

Figure 4 is an elevational view showing the signal attachment in the operating position.

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevational view showing a portion of the signal operating device detached.

In signal systems in hospitals it has been the custom to operate signal lamps at a central station by means of push buttons arranged for access by the'patient, but with such systems it has been found that patients urgently in need of assistance are frequently neglected owing to numerous signals being indicated at the same time.

The present system involves the use of the telephone and provision is made so that the patient may, with the least possible effort, cause a signal to be directed to the switch board where a supervisor is stationed and the supervisor may then connect with the room from where the signal comes, to ascertain the need of a patient and if the need is urgent or the patient too weak to answer, or to handle the telephone, a nurse can be dispatched to that room instantly in preference to other calls.

In order to accomplish this result a tele phone instrument is arranged in a suitable location adjacent to the bed and means is provided for releasing the receiver hook.

A pair of spring clips 4 are mounted on the rod adjacent to the instrument and are.

adapted to hold the telephone receiver 5 rigidly.

A member 6 is secured to the standard of the telephone instrument above the receiver hook and pivotally suspended from said member is a latch member 7 which is arranged to engage the telephone receiver hook S to hold said hook in the down position.

To the latch member is secured a cord 9 which may be of any suitable length to reach to the bed of the patient so that it may be easily grasped and by pulling upon the cord the latch member is withdrawn from engagement with the receiver hook, allowing the hook to spring up and close the circuit to the switch board.

The member 6 is here shown in the form of a pair of bars having clamp ends 10 which embrace the instrument and hold the member rigidly.

The outer ends of the member 6 are formed with hemi-spherical sockets 11 and a flaring recess 12 on the underside and the latch member 7 is provided with a ball end 13 which is held loosely in the hemi-spherical sockets so that it can swing freely in the flared recess 12.

The latch is preferably formed with a heavy pendulum end 14 which is bored with a hole 15 in which the cord 9 is secured and a round knob 16 is arranged on the bottom of the pendulum to engage a shallow depression 17 in the upper side of the telephone receiver hook.

It will be readily understood that the latch member 7 may be pulled out of contact with the receiver hook from any direction so that no matter what position the telephone may be in the latch will release when pulled.

The ball-shaped weight on the pendulum ensures the proper clearing of the latch by the hook 8 when it is released by 'a slight pull as there are no corners or surfaces to catch upon the upper side of the hook.

A hospital equipped with a system such as described will be able to direct the attention of the nurses in attendance to the most urgent cases and as the signalling equipment includes a telephone the patient can in most cases advise the supervisor, by speaking into the telephone, of the service required.

Such a system will not only give'the patients a much better service but will greatly reduce the operating costs of hospitals due to the saving of time of nurses in going to rooms to ascertain the need of the patient before attending to what is needed.

The details of structure of the telephone support are not important because many forms of supports in the way of hinge and telescopic members may be devised, but in the structure shown, the instrument is clamped at the end of a hinged telescopic tube, so that it can be pulled toward the patient by means of the signal cord and being secured to the tube it can be tilted at any angle and the receiver being rigidly held, cannot fall off butis readily available to the patient. lVith such a system in operation the nurses will of course see to the resetting of the latch on the telephone and it cannot be forgotten to the disadvantage of the patient because the signal will continue to show until it is reset.

hat I claim as my invention 1. A signal attachment for telephones, comprising a rigid arm secured to the telephone having a spherical socket, and a pendulum member having a spherical end pivotally supported in said socket and having a weighted end engaging the telephone receiver hook, and a cord connected to said pendant member.

2. An improvement in telephones comprising the combination with a telephone mounted for bodily movement of a pendulum latch member universally suspended at its upper end at apoint fixed relative to said telephone and adapted when in its vertical position to engage and hold the telephone receiver hook down, said pendulum latch member having a cord attached thereto below its point of suspension adapted when pulled to move said latch member from its normal vertical position and move the telephone to the desired position.

3. In a signal attachment for telephones. the combination with a telephone, of a rigid arm arranged above the receiver hook formed .of a pair of bar members clamped rigidly around the telephone standard, and

having registering socket depressions in their opposing sides, a Weighted pendulum member having aball formation at its upper end arranged in the socket formed by said depressions and adapted to swing freely therebelow to engage and hold the telephone receiver down, and flexible means connected with said pendulum for swinging same.

' CHESTER J. DECKER. 

